Collection
by Darkford
Summary: A bunch of one-shots based on things I see on Tumblr. Fun times.
1. Costume

Tikki rubbed her eyes and glanced at Marinette inquisitively once she confirmed what she was seeing wasn't her dreaming.

"Don't you see, Tikki?" Marinette groaned in exasperation. "If there's a sudden akuma I won't wear it, but if we find someone on patrol, it'll help! Please? Just when I have prior notice."

"Alright Marinette," Tikki agreed with a sigh. "If it makes you more comfortable."

Little did Tikki know that it would come in very, very handy.

* * *

Ladybug was on patrol when a surprise akuma caught her off guard. She'd had just enough time to phone Chat before she was fully engaged in combat. This akuma was probably a young woman - from the looks of it a frustrated office worker or the like, from the number of loose papers on the street - but it probably wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

Deftly flipping over a few papers, she hopped her way over and began to fend off the papers, trying to see where the akuma was hiding. She winced as a black piece of paper flashed past her head, scraping her face.

She uttered a curse as it was shuffled back into the rest of the papers. With a confident smile she didn't feel, she dashed forward and used her yoyo to try and clear out the papers.

Chat Noir finally arrived, swinging his Cataclysm down on the papers around him and destroying at least half of them. He flexed his claws and grinned. Foregoing his puns for once, he started to rip through the paper eagerly.

"Keep her busy, Chat Noir!" Ladybug called, deciding to use her Lucky Charm.

"No problem, M'Lady! It isn't a scratching post, but it'll do!" he smirked and rushed back into the action, ripping the papers to shreds.

She rolled her eyes and called out Lucky Charm over the turmoil, but was shocked to find nothing happened. Trying a few more times, her eyes went wide, and in her panic she worked off of what she had.

She dashed off to the nearest fire hydrant and tugged off the top, signalling Chat to lure her over, and they managed to get the akuma close enough that her papers became more sluggish, being weighted down by the water. A few, however, slipped through and whipped harshly at Ladybug's face.

Chat's cry of shock was the least on her mind as she was thrown back suddenly and the akuma advanced on her.

"Give me your Miraculous," she threatened.

"Never!" Ladybug replied, even as the final beep on her miraculous told her she didn't have much time left.

Surrounded by the haphazard papers and blocked off from Chat, she winced, and internally her mind was turmoil. What would she do if anyone found out?! Especially Chat! And even then how was she going to defeat-

*BEEP*

 _Vwoosh._

Chat Noir gaped in awe, and for a moment she felt like curling up into a ball and dying right then and there until the clouds of papers cleared suddenly as the akuma's face fell in shock.

She realized what was happening when Chat burst into laughter.

 _I'm wearing the Ladybug costume..._

 _... I told you so, Tikki. Now eat up._

She didn't have to say it out loud; Tikki was already off behind her, coincidentally near a bakery and munching determinedly on a display cookie.

With a smirk, Ladybug took a few steps forward and punched the akuma in the face, rendering her unconscious. She picked up the black piece of paper and waited for Tikki to transform her again before ripping it in two and purifying the akuma.

She turned to see Chat Noir looking _very_ displeased.

"M'Lady," he grumbled, " I had my hopes up for a moment there."

"I'm not taking any risks," she shot back playfully. "See you, Minou."

As she dashed off, she heard Tikki grumble something about 'Purely my intervention'.

* * *

A/N: There is likely to be more, but it IS a collection of really short AUs, etc...


	2. Stranger

A/N: Quick explanation, what would happen if they'd never met out-of-costume. Fun fluff.

* * *

Marinette looked up at the stranger with the forest in his eyes and barely dared to blink. Her heart fluttered as the leather-clad hero handed her an umbrella and ran off to parts unknown, his eyes giving her one last loving look before he dashed off.

"Oh," she murmured, barely audible at all considering the heavy rain that fogged up the beautiful city of Paris and fuzzed the lights that made it so beautiful at night.

 _So that's what love feels like._

This was the day Hawkmoth was defeated. This was the day she would decide to find her Chat Noir in real life, and fast.

* * *

"So you finally found the man of your dreams?!" Alya cried, grabbing Marinette's hand. "Spill the deets, girl!"

"Not until it's official," Marinette smiled teasingly. "I don't even know how serious he is yet, but I'm confident."

"That's my girl!" Alya cheered. "Now, let's hurry, you just _have_ to meet Adrien. He's one of the sweetest people I know, and while I know you've found your dream guy, I at least want you to give him a look-see, Mkay?"

"Sure," Marinette agreed as they trotted out of College Francoise-Dupont.

 _Yes. It was worth checking every boy Alya took interest in, for any reason. He might be Chat Noir._

Her heart filled with butterflies as they sat down to wait.

* * *

"I know you've never met him before but trust me on this one," Alya urged as they waited for famous model Adrien Agreste to show up. Multiple times he couldn't make it, and when it wasn't that it was Akuma attacks. It seemed like today would be the days she finally met him, and she had to admit that she was excited, too.

Just then, she felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up at Nino, and a mop of blond hair approaching behind him.

 _This is it, Marinette, don't ruin meeting Adrien Agreste-_

 _oh._

She could tell right away. The inquisitive green eyes, the messy blond hair, the slight downturn on his nose. It was his voice that told her for sure, though.

"It's nice to finally meet you," he said honestly.

She smiled back brightly. "Same."

There was a moment of silence, and then he pulled up a chair to sit next to her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, she immediately grabbed his other hand and pushed his off her shoulder.

He moved away sheepishly. "Sorry."

Alya stared at Marinette for a solid three seconds. Then, in classic Alya fashion, she said, "Spill."

"Yeah," Nino agreed for once. "You just... clicked."

They looked at each other, smiled, and burst into laughter.

"Another time," she managed between giggles. "We'll tell you when the time is right."

* * *

The time is right apparently happened to be around a dinner table that same day.

Alya, of course, flipped. She eventually just crawled under the table and refused to speak.

Nino, after sending Adrien an apologetic look, went underneath it with her, and Marinette went away before the room started steaming up from their antics.

She and Adrien automatically situated themselves on the sofa and leaned on each other comfortably, just enjoying each other's company for once.

"Hey, can we be like them?" He asked suddenly.

"What, dating and being gross?" she inquired.

"Uh, the first one. Not the second," he admitted.

"Of course."


	3. Halloween Dance

A/N: She can't very well go as Ladybug, can she? ;3

* * *

The Halloween dance wasn't a shock. Halloween and a treasured week off were just around the corner, so of course they just _had_ to have a masquerade.

Yes, there was chatting all throughout the halls over what people would go as.

Yes, Marinette's class were all going as their akumatized selves.

Yes, Marinette was having a life crisis over what she would go as.

"So girl," Alya asked, sliding in next to her, "What're you gonna go as?" She grinned. "You'd make an excellent Ladybug."

"Can't tell you," Marinette grinned back, biting back the thoughts rushing through her head. _I don't have one Alya! What on earth do I do?!_

She couldn't very well go as Ladybug... that wouldn't go down well, especially considering how she _was_ Ladybug. She'd be shot down in a matter of seconds when people connected the dots( _haha Chaton was rubbing off on her_ ), and knowing the full list of people who were coming wouldn't help. She frowned at Chloe, who was muttering something into Sabrina's ear as she pointed at Marinette in a very obvious manner, the two bursting into giggles that definitely weren't very friendly ones.

Deciding to ignore Chloe today, she mumbled incoherently at her sketchbook in disgust. When was the last time she'd been out of ideas? She shivered at the thought of it.

* * *

That night, patrol was calm enough that she finished up early. Chat Noir had apparently had similar ease, as he joined her not moments later.

"M'lady, something's bothering you," Her _Chaton_ stated, frowning. She shook her head, begging herself to resist the urge to squeal at how adorable his face was, and replied calmly.

"Oh, it's nothing much," Ladybug replied, waving it off as nonchalant as she could. "I've just got to decide on an outfit for a Halloween Dance."

He nodded. "Why not go as me?" he asked provocatively, his overactive eyebrows wiggling.

She was about to refuse with a witty remark when she paused and seriously thought about it. It _was_ the logical answer since she couldn't go as Ladybug and didn't have an akumatized form to go as... yeah, now that she thought about it...

The makings of a brilliant Chat Noir outfit shot through her head, and she grinned.

"I might do just that, _Chaton._ "

* * *

Two weeks.

Two long, painful weeks where she worked herself silly finishing her Chat Noir costume. It was beautiful, perfect, _stunning,_ and every moment was worth it as she slipped into it, tugging the bell up to her neck. Yeah, it was pretty darn similar to Chat Noir's costume, but to her credit it did have to be recognizable.

She twirled in it happily, smirking at herself in the mirror.

Tonight was going to be _fun._

* * *

She walked up to the doors of the school, Nino's music blaring loud enough to resonate throughout the building. She grinned devilishly as she thought of Alya's reaction to it - that is, until Adrien Agreste became part of the picture.

She turned as his limo rolled up, his driver getting out and pulling the door open delicately.

She felt like her head exploded and imploded all at once.

He stepped out into the starlight, his Ladybug costume being nothing other than top-rate. He was even wearing Ladybug cufflinks ( _she totally didn't notice that in an attempt to pull her eyes away from his ponytail or his body-hugging suit oh nooo)_ and she was very suddenly conscious of the fact that she was _also_ wearing a body-hugging leather suit.

With cat ears.

And a _bell_.

She took a deep breath and turned back to the school. Alya would be on her case, but that was better than freaking over the Sun Child™ and ruining the night for both of them. Instead, she stuck with using a pace she was fairly certain would make her sway like her _Chaton_ did so often.

Little did she know how effective it was.

* * *

Adrien Agreste, face of the Agreste clothing line, was gaping.

He even forgot about Ladybug, the light of his life, when he saw the jaw-dropping sight that was none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

He gulped, tugging nervously at his cufflinks as he watched her pace away after a brief smirk in his direction. She probably knew fully that he was staring at her, but he didn't care. He didn't know what did it - the leather suit that covered everything but her neck and head, the mask over her Galaxy Eyes™ or even the bell. Oh dearest angels in heaven her outfit had a _bell._

He waved quickly to his driver and ran after her. One way or another he was _going_ to dance with her, if it was the last thing he did. Forget Clingy Chloe or even just hanging out by himself, he _needed_ to dance with her.

And anyway, he could have a bit of an ego, couldn't he? He couldn't ignore such a bold statement of her support. Why else would Marinette herself put so much effort into an outfit?

He ran inside, pushed Chloe aside as she made a ballistic leap for his arm, and darted around, searching for the woman in black leather. No _way_ was he going away with anything less than a dance.

 _Period._

* * *

Marinette stalked into the room, feeling her body flood with confidence. If this is what it felt like to be Chat Noir, then no wonder his ego was so huge; anyone would feel powerful in a costume like this. She smirked and sent a sly wink at Nathanael and Nino talking in a corner, waiting to sneak up on Alya herself.

She saw jaws drop and resisted the urge to break into full-on smug mode. It would only make it worse, after all.

She sneaked up on Alya, stalking her with an arched back as a brief joke for her friends, a few of which giggled, though none loud enough to alert the reporter, who was taking pictures of a group of students all dressed as Ladybug. She smiled and patted her friend's back.

"Well, miss Re _purr_ ter, got any nice _mews_ to share?" Marinette said, feeling herself wiggle with glee at the puns. She really _did_ enjoy acting like her _Chaton,_ and though nothing could defeat Adrien, she couldn't lie; she was enjoying mimicking her partner. It was hilarious.

Alya turned around and snapped a photo before Marinette could even change her expression. Marinette giggled. "So, like it?"

Alya gaped, only just realizing who it was. "MARI?"

"The one and only!" Marinette replied, posing dramatically. Regaining her composure, she continued, "but seriously, how is it?"

"Mari I am _serious_ jealous," Alya cried, gripping her friend's shoulder. "but let me tell you this... you're going to have eyes following you all night."

Marinette groaned and rolled her eyes. "Knew it was too good to be simple," Marinette mumbled, shaking her head at herself. "Nice Lady Wifi outfit, by the way."

"No kidding girl, you made it!" Alya grinned. "Lemme take a pic with you! I've got to put this on the Ladyblog!"

Marinette was, at first, apprehensive, but then she decided refusing would be even more suspicious. "Fine," she gurmbled, rolling her eyes, shuffling up next to her friend as Alya held up the camera.

SNAP!

Moving away, she caught Alya with a well-known expression, and breathed deeply. She only made _that_ face when a certain someone was about to walk up to them, and it _wasn't_ Nino.

Turning around, she saw the godly golden-haired dreamboat himself smile down at her. "Hey Mari," he said quietly, Marinette briefly wondering why she could even hear him over the noise around them. "I didn't peg you as a Chat Noir fan."

Marinette smiled back at him. "Well... I have to admit, he is the cooler of the two of them."

"No way!" Adrien disagreed. "Ladybug is definitely cooler."

Marinette smirked. "Oh really?"

He seemed a little stunned, but quickly responded. "Yes really."

Marinette's smirk only grew. "Bet she can't do... this."

As she spoke, she lifted a finger up to Adrien's face, laying it lightly on his mouth. Her inner lovestruck fool was toppling over in a melting pile of whipped cream, but she was already here. Her thumb joined her finger in a cautious moment of speechlessness.

And she flicked.

She saw the ripple of his body going stiff, his emerald eyes staring at the ceiling in pure, unadulterated shock. She wasn't sure what Alya was doing, but she didn't think she'd want to know. Instead, she brushed past Adrien _very much_ on purpose, letting the tail-belt of her outfit ripple past his leg, and walking off with a confidence she didn't feel.

She really hoped she didn't destroy Adrien's image of her.

* * *

Adrien was in shock.

He thought it would be easy, to speak to Marinette, ask her for a dance, but it hadn't been. Instead, she had gotten him into a dispute over his Lady (who he simply _had_ to defend), and she had spoken to him in such confidence he could barely believe it was Marinette. Then she had done the unthinkable.

She had flicked at him, sending shockwaves up and down his body like a drop of water moving an ocean. There was just _something_ , something so... _miraculous_ about the way she'd done it, the glittering in her eyes, the devilish smirk, the way sweet little Marinette had transformed into, well, _him_ overnight, with nothing but a costume.

He felt a strange pounding in his chest and dread, wonder and a confused package of everything else wash over him in a blinding heap until he couldn't speak. He was just standing there with his mouth hanging open like some sort of lovelorn fool.

 _Lovelorn... fool?_

He began second-guessing himself as Nino dragged him over to ask him what was wrong. He didn't even respond; suddenly it all made sense.

It made sense why he liked Ladybug; it was all there, the smile, the eyes, heck even the freckles... they were all traits Marinette had. And after all, the confident streak he admired was also mixed in with the sweet side...

 _Oh no,_ he thought, connecting the dots. _I'm in love. I've been so blind._

He shook himself violently. _Here's your chance, Adrien, take it. She's Right. There. Just go out there and ask.  
_

 _You're unlikely to get another chance like this._

He pulled away from Nino and out onto the dance floor, where Marinette was chatting ( _haha)_ with Juleka about... whatever it was they were talking about. It didn't matter, he was going to have this dance whether she liked it or not.

Wait, no, it was dreadfully important that she liked this.

 _Do not screw up, Adrien,_ he scolded himself, walking over to her with a confidence that definitely _wasn't_ there.

* * *

Her blue skies met his green fields as their eyes locked together.

In the brief moment, there was a pair of voices that spoke in unison as they faced each other fully.

"May I have this dance?"

* * *

A/N: I'm a dork. It's official.

It's so _cute_

 _help pls_


End file.
